Interchangeable letter sign



June 7, 1932- w. H. TROSTEL 1,862,375

' INTERCHANGEABLE LETTER SIGN Filed March 14, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 X715 I jwawr 772116 uiz arzfiddfdl t I I June 7, 1932. Q w TRQSTEL1,862,375

INTERCHANGEABLE LETTER S IGN Filed March 14, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet 2Patented June 7, 1932 UNITE STTES INTERCHANGEABLE LETTER, SIGNApplication filed March 14, 1931.

My invention relates to new and useful improvements in interchangeableletter signs, and has for its object to so construct a sign of thisdescription that the letters making up the words thereon may be quicklyand easily changed so as to change the sign to any wording desired and afurther object of the invention is to so construct the sign that provision will be made for the use of larger or 19 smaller letters and alsothat the lettering may be arranged lengthwise of the sign or crosswisethereof; and a still further object of the invention is to provide forthe ready removal and interchangeability of the spacing strips.

With these and other ends in View, this invention consists in thedetails of construction and combination of elements hereinafter setforth and then specifically designated by the claims.

In order that those skilled in the art to which this inventionappertains may understand how to make and use the same, I will describeits construction in detail, referring by numerals to the accompanyingdrawings forming a part of this application, in which Fig. 1 is aperspective of one form of my improved sign looking at the face thereof.

Fig. 2 is a back View of the frame and the spacing strip and letteringbeing omitted.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmental perspective of a portion of the frameof the sign illustrating the manner of positioning and holding thespacing strips.

Fig. 3a is a detail perspective of a portion of the locking strip.

Fig. 4c is an enlarged section on the line fr-4 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a detail View of one of the holder spacing strips.

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 5, of one of the end holder strips.

Fig. 7 is an end View of Fig. 5.

Fig. 8 is an end view of Fig. 6.

Fig. 9 is a perspective of one of the attaching bars.

Fig. 10 is a face View of a slightly modified form of the sign.

Fig. 11 is a section on the line 1111 of Fig. 10.

Serial No. 522,650.

Fig. 12' represents the sign made in the triangular form.

In carrying out my invention as embodied in Figs. 1 to 9 inclusive, 15represents a frame made of any suitable material preferably wood andhaving formed in the rails thereof the retaining notches 16, thesenotches being on the back of the frame so that the front surface of therails remain unbroken, 17 represents a series of holder spacing stripsso which are shown as formed from thin sheet metal so bent as to providea body 18 and wings 19 and this body is adapted to receive one end ofthe attaching bars 20 so that when one of these attaching bars has been63 forced into each end of the body the free ends of said attaching barsmay be readily placed within certain of the notches 16 thus positioningthe spacing strip and when the proper number of these spacing stripshave been thus positioned they are securely held in place by a lockingstrip 21 being inserted in the narrow slot 22 as clearly shown in Fig.8; one of these strips being used on each side of the frame to hold bothends of the spacing strips in posi- 5 tion, and each one of theselocking strips has an upturned end 23 for passing into notch 24 leadingfrom its slot thus facilitating the removal of the locking strips.

25 represents one Of the end holding strips 30 which has a shank 26adapted to be inserted behind the frame bead or in one of the slots 22and this strip also has a wing 27 corresponding to the wings 19 of thespacing strips so that when an end holding strip is inserted in oppositerails of the frame parallel with the spacing strips 17 a length oftransparent material 28 such as celluloid may be slid beneath the wingsof two of the strips 17 or between the wing of one of said strips andthe Wing of one of the end strips 25 as clearly shown in Fig. 4E, andwhen thus positioned these lengths of celluloid will provide a convexedtransparent background against which the letters 29 of the sign may beplaced. The letters 29 for the sign are superimposed or otherwise placedupon the transparent section 28 which are of sufieient lengths for theirends to be inserted beneath the wings 19, or 19 and 27 thereby causingsaid sections to lie snugly against the convened surfaces of the lengthsof celluloid 28. The insertion of the letter sections may either beeffected by springing their ends beneath the wings or by inserting theirends beneath the wings at the open ends of the holding strips andsliding them si-dewise of the frame to the proper positions.

WVhere a frame is longer than it is wide as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, soas to carry a greater number of spacing strips, one set in one directionthan when set at right angles thereto, notches 16 are formed in the fourrails of the frames thus permitting the utilization of the frame forforming a sign higher than it is Wide Or wider than it is high andgiving a greater number of lines for the words of the sign or a lessnumber of lines of greater length as will be readily understood.

In Figs. 10 and 11, I have shown a slightly modified form of my sign inwhich the frame 30 is a flat sheet of material such as metal orcomposition board and in this construction the frame is cut out so as toleave the ribs 31 extending crosswise thereof and upon these ribs areplaced the end holder spacing strips 25 clearly shown in Fig. 11, sothat the transparent lengths of celluloid 28 may be placed and held inposition and the sections 29 containing the letters positioned thereon.This construction of sign facilitates the ma ring of the sign in variousshapes as for instance triangular such a triangular sign being shown inFig. 12, but it is to be understood that other than rectangular signsmay be produced where a notch wood frame is used.

In practice a sign made in accordance with my improvements permits theready changing of the wording thereof and provides for illumination byplacing it in front of a source of light or by placing a light behindthe sign and where the construction shown in Figs. 1 and 2, is utilizedthe width of the celluloid strip 28 and consequently the letters mountedthereon may be varied in width by placing the holder spacing strips indifferent pair of the notches 16 to leave a greater distance betweenthese holder spacing strips and this is of great convenience in makingup the lettering of a sign since it permits the use of words ofrelatively large letters and also the use of relatively small letters inthe same sign and while this is not so when the form of signs shown inFigs. 10 and 11 is used, this last named form of sign is highlyadvantageous where a number of thin fiat signs are needed since it isexceedingly simple in construction and may be manufactured at a smallcost and is especially adapted for shipping since a number of thesesigns may be piled on top of each other, and will occupy but littlespace.

Of course, I do not wish to be limited to the exact details ofconstruction herein illustrated and described as these may be variedwithin the limits of the appended claims without departing from thespirit of my invention.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new and usefulis 1. An interchangeable letter sign comprising a frame; the rails ofwhich have notches formed therein; attaching bars; the ends of which areadapted to fit within said notches; wing holder strips carrying saidbars, means for securing the bars within the notches.

2. An interchangeable letter sign comprising a frame; having notches andgrooves formed in the four rails thereof; end holder strips forsecurement in said grooves; holder spacing strips carrying attachingbars for insertion in said notches; locking strips adapted to beinserted in certain of said grooves for preventing the displacement ofthe spacing strips.

3. In an interchangeable letter sign a frame; having notches and slotsin its rails, end holder strips for insertion of certain of saidgrooves, spacing strips, attaching bars carried by said spacing strips,the free end of said bars adapted to fit within said notches; lockingstrips for insertion in certain of the slots and means for removing saidlocking strips from the slots.

4. In a sign of the character described, a holder spacing strip formedfrom sheet metal fashioned to provide a body and wings, said wings beingV-shaped in cross section, as shown.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto affixed my signature.

VVILLI HERBERT TROSTEL.

